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Spokane, WA - 06/23/09 - For four weeks leading up to the 20th annual Hoopfest, a team of Spokane eighth graders and a team of tenth graders are balancing their Hoopfest practice regimen with nutrition and hydration advice during a 4-week nutrition training period.
Michelle Weinbender, nutritionist at Spokane’s Sacred Heart Hospital and Eastern Washington Coordinator of the Washington Interscholastic Nutrition Forum (winforum.org) taught them the basics of eating healthy and the science of low-fat chocolate milk as a recovery drink.
“I call it ‘slam dunk’ nutrition for each team member by estimating individual nutrient needs and training intensity,” said Ms. Weinbender, a registered dietitian. “Several studies confirm the value of meal planning with nutrient rich foods and physical conditioning for maximum performance.”
During a team orientation session about the value of the five food groups, she described the number of calories each day an athlete should consume based on a training intensity scale of mild, moderate, heavy and very heavy workouts.
“Each training level is assigned a number of calories per day based on the weight of each athlete," she said.
Since 2003, the Washington Interscholastic Nutrition Forum (www.winforum.org) has educated high school coaches, athletic trainers and student athletes about the value of eating from the 5-food groups and, studies have shown, consumption of low fat milk following workouts will replenish muscle and refuel or re-energize.
Results in a recent study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting by researchers from James Madison University indicate that low fat chocolate milk is effective in the recovery and repair of muscles after intense training.
Chocolate milk also has the advantage of additional nutrients not found in most traditional sports drinks. Milk also provides fluids for rehydration and minerals like calcium, potassium and magnesium that recreational exercisers and elite athletes alike need to replace after strenuous activity.
The WINForum will follow these teams as they apply their nutrition knowledge; eating healthy and drinking low-fat chocolate milk following every practice. The teams will give weekly updates on their progress leading up to Hoopfest.
Then we will follow them ‘Live from Hoopfest’ on June 27th and 28th. We will have live interviews and updates from the team available on the Nutrition Training 4 Hoopfest blog, YouTube, Twitter, and at www.WINForum.org.
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Contact:
Jennah Tano
Jennah@delaunay.com
or
Cassandra Little
Cassandra@delaunay.com
Dairy Farmers of Washington
206-682-3699
206-682-3899 (fax)
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